Washington State is bringing out the icy whites for Saturday’s road trip to Kansas State, and that means the full white look: white helmets with the crimson logo, white jerseys and white pants for the 9 a.m. kickoff on TNT.
It’s a familiar uniform set, but not one that has always treated the Cougars well lately. WSU last wore the icy whites in a regular-season game in 2024, when it lost to Oregon State, and the last regular-season win in that combination came in the Apple Cup rout in Seattle during the 2021 season. The most recent victory in the look came in December, when the Cougars beat in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, 34-21.
The uniform history from last season was mixed. Washington State went 2-0 in white helmets, knocking off San Diego State and Utah State.
In white jerseys, the Cougars were 1-5, with losses to North Texas, Ole Miss, Virginia, the first Oregon State game and James Madison, while beating Utah State. White pants produced a split, with a win over Utah State and a loss to Oregon State.
Jaylen Thomas served as the model for this week’s reveal, making him the first newcomer to do so. Only four of last year’s uniform models are back this season: running backs Maxwell Woods and Leo Pulalasi, linebacker Isaiah Hung and safety Kyle Peterson.
Thomas, a 6-foot-0, 190-pound third-year transfer from San Jose State, started his first game as a Cougar in last weekend’s Apple Cup loss. He played 64 snaps, more than any other defensive player on either side, and finished with three tackles.
Last season, he appeared in 12 games, made 59 tackles, had one tackle for loss, recovered two fumbles, broke up six passes and returned seven punts for 50 yards. When Tony Freeman went down last Sunday, Thomas stepped in as the punt returner and brought back one punt for five yards.
This week’s reveal also had Kat Music by rapper TRX2R playing in the background.
In Other News...
Washington State Still Has Major Roster Questions Before Kansas State
Washington States first official depth chart for the Kansas State game gave a clearer picture of where things stand, and also where they do not. The Cougars listed starters and backups across both sides of the ball, but the sheet still shows several spots that are far from settled, with multiple positions marked by OR designations and a few key absences cutting into the available options.
Tight ends Trey Leckner and Hudson Cedarland were not listed because of injuries, adding another layer to a roster that already looks like it is still sorting itself out before a tough matchup. For a team trying to line up its best version early in the season, the depth chart suggests there are still decisions to make in more than a few places. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Moores First Apple Cup Revealed What This Job Really Means
Kirby Moores first Apple Cup came with all the noise and pressure that make rivalry week so revealing, and Washington States new head coach got an immediate taste of how unforgiving that stage can be. The Cougars kept it competitive against No. 17 Washington, but the debut still ended in a loss, leaving Moore to navigate the kind of night that tells a coach plenty about a job before he has much time to say much at all.
Moore was brief afterward, then more reflective later, saying the experience gave him an even greater appreciation for coaching. It also fit a family pattern worth noting, since his father Tom Moore and brother Kellen Moore each had their own first-game coaching moments, and those openings came with very different results. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Heads Into A Road Test With One K State Edge Unclear
Kansas States season opener offered a useful glimpse of where Washington States next road opponent stands, especially along an offensive line that has already been forced to absorb some early-season wear. A Q&A with Wildcats beat writer Ryan Gilbert pointed to injury trouble up front, while also highlighting the defensive pieces that helped carry the opener against Nicholls and the tight end group that could become more involved as the schedule toughens.
For the Cougars, the interesting part is not just what Kansas State showed, but what still may be changing by Saturday. The Wildcats are sorting through a few fronts at once, from line depth to how much they lean on tight ends Linkon Cure and Garrett Oakley, and there is still at least one key personnel question hanging over the matchup as the teams move closer to kickoff. [Read more 🡒]